On July 1, 2013, the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), a nonprofit consumer advocate organization that conducts research on health and nutrition, issued a statement declaring the “worst restaurant meal in America.” The meal in question, it said, included 33 grams of trans fat, 19...

For New Yorkers and nostalgists of a certain age, the term egg cream conjures a host of pleasant associations: hot summer afternoons, classic American drugstore soda fountains, and bygone youth.
For the uninitiated, let’s get the basics out of the way: The classic egg cream contains neither eggs...

While families around the U.S. gather this year for Thanksgiving Day dinner, a casual game of touch football, and the annual parade, some Austin, Texas, residents will sport their running gear for the annual ThunderCloud Subs Thanksgiving Day Turkey Trot. Since its inception in 1991, the 5K...

Ah, chocolate. It’s an indulgence that’s impossible to ignore as a stand-alone food or ingredient. And, not surprisingly, chocolate proves to be sweet for consumers and restaurant operators alike. Even though it’s already part of menus at most limited-service eateries, more dining places continue...

Q: Many fast-food restaurants are beefing up their mobile capabilities. What is the best way to tap into this trend?
A: Getting in on the mobile ordering—or mobile payment or mobile marketing—trend shouldn’t be our objective. Instead, we should ask, “How can we use mobile technology to disrupt our...

In 2008, Anthony Pigliacampo and Rob McColgan were two young professionals looking for a place to have a healthy lunch on a regular basis. When they couldn’t find one, the pair decided to create one. They pooled their knowledge to create Modmarket.
“We felt very strongly that there needed to be...

Sonic Drive-In announced it has reached a multi-year endorsement agreement with Kevin Durant—the 2014 NBA MVP, five-time NBA All-Star, Olympic gold medalist, and Male Athlete of the Year ESPY Award winner—as a national brand ambassador to collaborate on the development of balanced menu items and...

Editor’s Note: This is the third in a series on pricing strategies within the quick-service restaurant industry. Click here to read part one, and here to read part two.
Hello again QSR readers! Before we dig into another alternative pricing strategy, we want to take a moment to look back at where...

Smoothie Factory Juice Bar, a leading retailer of real fruit smoothies, fresh cold-squeezed juices, and nutritional products, enjoyed a record year for growth and development in 2014, adding 20 new locations for a total of 52 locations under its new parent company, BRIX Holdings, LLC.

Recent severe weather has many operators nervous about the potential effects on commodity prices. But Dewayne Dove, vice president of risk management for SpenDifference, a chain restaurant purchasing cooperative, says there might be some relief ahead for operators.

Meatheads will be offering a special hot dog on its menu this spring, the Bickell Dog, created in honor of Chicago Blackhawks Left Winger Bryan Bickell, his wife Amanda, and their charity, the Bryan and Amanda Bickell Foundation. The foot-long Vienna Beef hot dog is topped with chili and Fritos...

Capriotti’s Sandwich Shop announced the upcoming arrival of their first-ever Illinois location, broadening the company’s national presence to 17 states and federal districts. Franchisees Andy Poch and Craig Garofalo will be operating the new restaurant, projected to open in late 2015.

Rodney Harper has been eating Dickey's Barbecue Pit since he was a little kid, and now at the age of 61, he'll bring a barbecue tradition to Palm Springs, California. The first Dickey's Barbecue location in Palm Springs opens on February 12 at 11 a.m. with a three-day grand opening.

When Lori Newcomb found out she had stage III ovarian cancer last year, she made it her mission to learn more about the disease and help other women fighting the same battle. She sat down with her husband, Chris Newcomb, cofounder and CEO of Southern quick-service chain Newk’s Eatery, and together...

When fast-casual chain Zoës Kitchen Inc. debuted on the New York Stock Exchange last April, the Plano, Texas–based Mediterranean-style eatery recorded its initial public offering at $87.5 million. Satisfying an investor appetite for investments within the trendy fast-casual space, Zoës’ strong...

Convenience stores are increasingly taking a larger slice out of the quick-serve pie with fresh food offerings. It’s become such a lucrative business for C-stores that Sheetz, the Pennsylvania-based C-store chain that this week opened its 500th location, is planning stores designed more as fast...

Kevin Kester’s family has been farming in the U.S. for generations. And it’s not just a couple of generations they’ve been farming; more like generations upon generations, way back to the 1600s, specifically in California since the 1860s. Today, Kester owns a 22,000-acre beef cattle ranch in...

Though U.S. consumption is well below other proteins today, seafood will likely be an increasingly important part of the American diet in the years to come. The country’s population is predicted to grow by 89 million between 2010 and 2050 to 401 million people. More people require more food—and...

While the fast-casual category continues to be the fastest-growing industry sector, the road in 2015 will be bumpy. We will see constant change and challenges around every corner. For industry leaders, there are issues that will keep even the most seasoned executive awake at night.
Here is my top...